Life skills education in the context of HIV and AIDS

This piece explores the role of life-skills education (LSE) in the context of HIV and AIDS, in particular in relation to its potential for contributing towards HIV prevention efforts amongst young people. LSE within the context of HIV and AIDS can occur both in school and in non-schools settings; target groups for such education include children, youth and adults. Groups particularly at risk of HIV-acquisition, include sex workers, intravenous drug users and men-who-have-sex-with-men. Arguably young people, and particularly young women, can be included in this high risk group; and one key means of reaching them, often even before they become sexually active and/or engage in risky behaviors, is through learning environments.